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UNDERSTANDING THE NATURAL SYSTEM

– Systems always find a way to produce information to support the needs of the enterprise.

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Every now and then I encounter a programmer who adamantly contends you cannot have an information system without some form of computer support. Actually, we’ve had such systems well before the advent of the computer. As we jokingly contend, the first on-line, real-time, interactive, data base system was double-entry bookkeeping which was developed by the merchants of Venice in 1200 A.D. It may have been a manual system, but it worked rather effectively, and still does. Suggesting you can’t have a system without a computer reveals the person’s naivety. Admittedly, computers can now be found throughout the corporate world, be it large corporations or small businesses, but systems transcend the use of the computer.

Information systems are born the moment a company or organization goes into business. They may lack automation and are not the most sophisticated, but they exist nevertheless. The system may not be well organized as a Systems Analyst may design it, but it is what is called a “Natural System” which is born out of necessity by people charged with performing the work. Since information is consumed by people, they inevitably invent systems to produce information to support business needs. Not surprising, a Natural System lacks documentation and, in all likelihood data redundancy is introduced, as well as redundant work flows. Nonetheless, a system inevitably takes shape the same way water runs down a mountain and forms into streams with all of its twists and turns.

I have seen this phenomenon occurring recently in a new media start-up with some rather bold ambitions. Over the last few months they have assembled a team of rather smart and ambitious people. Even though they lack a systems department (or even an I.T. department), they have been forced to create all of the systems themselves. Is it perfect? Hardly, but they are persevering and assembling the information to make the company a success. They either do so, or the company will perish before it ever gets off the ground.

If the company survives, it will inevitably blossom into a big business requiring full-time systems analysts, programmers, data base personnel, and other technicians. Undoubtedly, these people will be faced with untangling the Natural Systems and organizing them into something more efficient and effective which will be no small task as such systems normally resemble a plate of spaghetti rather than anything structured.

No Virginia, information systems have been with us literally for centuries. The computer is simply the latest twist. Just remember, even in the absence of Systems Analysts, systems always find a way to deliver information. It is what Les Matthies, the legendary Dean of Systems, called, “The Natural System.” Such systems may be quick and dirty solutions that are wasteful. The remarkable thing about them is simple; they work!

Keep the Faith!

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2 Responses to “UNDERSTANDING THE NATURAL SYSTEM”

“I just had an encounter with a computer snafu holding up progress at our local library today. I have about a dozen large boxes of books to donate, but even though the library has moved to a new, larger building, they can’t accept them yet. Why? Because the program for sorting, cataloging and pricing books for loan or sale is not working with the new computer system. They already have many boxes of books waiting to be processed, so they don’t want mine yet.

Is it naive of me to think that the books can be sorted into Sale and Shelf boxes, to be logged in and cataloged later? Sort the books now, do the data entry later when the program is fixed. Maybe it’s wishful thinking on my part. Those boxes are taking up a lot of space here and they’re filled with good books that people should be reading.”